History is not forgotten at the Lebanon Area Fair

Board member Dick Kreider recalls the origins of the Lebanon Area Fair

Dick Kreider, 77, of Lebanon recalls the beginnings of the Lebanon Area Fairgrounds in the fair office on Monday. Kreider has been involved with the fair since its beginnings and the fairgrounds since the property was purchased in 1969. (Lebanon Daily News — Matt Baczewski)

The dairy barn is an example of one of the older buildings on the fairgrounds. Originally, however, exhibits were housed in trailers. There was, however, a french-fry stand. (Lebanon Daily News — Matt Baczewski)

This year's fair asks the Lebanon area community to "Treasure the Memories." But as far as the theme extends to the history of the Lebanon Area Fair itself, much of the memory is stored safely in the mind of Dick Kreider, 77, of Lebanon.

"I've been here all my life. My father and a number of concerned farmers started the thing," he said, reclining in his familiar chair at the Fair Office, the nerve center of the entire operation.

Kreider, a member of the board of directors of the fair, was born and raised in Lebanon. He has been involved with the fair since its first days and recalled the creation of the current fairgrounds.

The Lebanon Area Fairgrounds, now owned by the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center, was first purchased in 1969 by a number of local farmers, including Kreider's father, Joseph. The farmers culled together enough money to buy a section of the former farm property divided by Rocherty Road.

Before the purchase, the fair had been held in a number of locations, including Fredericksburg Fireman's Park, the H&H Tack farm in Annville and Ebenezer Elementary School. This purchase marked the first dedicated spot for the fair.

"They wanted to have a showplace for youth in agriculture," said Kreider, "and provide a permanent location for 4-H, FFA and the agricultural community."

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The first building to be erected was the pavilion, and Kreider remembered the sparse surroundings of the first fair held at the fairgrounds.

"There was a french-fries stand, and they used trailer boxes for the exhibits," he recalled.

Items that have now become staples of the fair, including track events, carnival rides and fair food, were introduced in later years.

A large initial growth in construction and facilities occurred after the purchase of the land, and a second wave of growth came in the 1990s. Currently, the fairgrounds consists of five barns, two horse rings, three refreshment stands, five exhibition buildings and the midway track area.

Kreider said that the fair has been an "ongoing family thing from the start."

"When my dad got off the board, I got on it," he said.

His family is currently involved in a number of facets of the annual event. His daughter volunteers at the refreshment stands, his son works with the livestock, and his grandchildren currently show animals at the fair. His wife, too, is involved with the chicken barbecue dinner, another piece of fair history.

The dinner, which will be held on Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., started in the early 1970s, and its profits go back into the fair. Originally, the event started with a few hundred half-chickens being barbecued and sold, but it has evolved through the years into a much larger operation.

Presently, more than 3,400 half-chickens are sold, in addition to more than a ton of ham and an entire wagon full of baked potatoes.

"The chicken barbecue is one of the largest in Pennsylvania," said Kreider. "This is a big social event."

Kreider claimed, however, that this magnitude of family involvement is not unusual when it comes to fair activities.

"Many families have been involved in that way," he said. "A lot of people and time go into making it click."

Fair attendance has also become more inclusive of the entire Lebanon community, as Kreider noted that the fair has been experiencing a surge in attendance from the urban population in addition to the farmers and agriculturalists who traditionally volunteered for and attended the fair.

But Kreider still believes that the intent of the original board members to create a lasting hotspot for agriculture has not been lost.

"It's just neat that all the agricultural community comes together in one place. It's like happy hour for farmers," he said jokingly.